More Than Enough
by Symptom of a Genius
Summary: Maerad/Cadvan. (One Shot) Cadvan is having nightmares and is plagued with guilt over Ceredin's death. Maerad comes to comfort him after he has a nightmare one night and urges him to move on.


**One Shot- MaeradxCadvan**

**Please review! I really hope you like it.**

_Ceredin's face swam before Cadvan's eyes. Blood ran from the corners of her mouth and trickled onto the cobblestones where she lay. The Revenant was nowhere to be seen any longer; it had been gone for quite some time. Her blood, her life, oh, his beautiful Ceredin's life washed over his own hands now and mingled with his own blood. He could hear himself calling her name desperately, pleading for her to stay and cursing the Dark, cursing himself for his vanity. Her form hovered above him now, regarding him impassively as he hunched over her lifeless form. She followed him through his exile and banishment, her eyes as dead as the day she was slain. Ceredin, his beautiful lover that was gone forever because of him watched him coldly and endlessly, never allowing him to forget his blackest of days…_

Cadvan awoke with a start and felt that his cheeks were damp. He saw that he had knocked over a small vase of flowers by his bed. The delicate orange blossoms were strewn over the floor and rumpled in the puddle of water, and the elegant porcelain vase was shattered hopelessly. A fresh wave of grief and guilt washed over him, sending a cold shiver down his spine as he stared at the mess. He glanced out the window as he did every night, anxiously searching for that ever present demon he dreamed about that lived within him; however, all that was there were the quiet cobbled streets of Innail and the moon shining down through the window. The feeling of loss that had unexpectedly arose in him bore into the deepest grooves of his soul, and his guilt weighed heavily upon his shoulders. He felt another tear slide down his face.

A quiet knock came from his door and he recognized Maerad's slim silhouette in the doorway. His heart lifted and he quickly dashed away the moisture from his cheeks and sat up.

"Maerad, dear, what brings you here at this hour?" Cadvan murmured as she crossed the room to his bed and sat down on the end to face him. He could see her delicate features in the soft light of the moon, and the Elidhu in her danced upon the contours of her gentle face. She tucked her dark, silky hair behind her ear and looked up at him with concern.

"I heard you call for her again, Cadvan," She said quietly and took his hand in hers. "And I heard the crash from the vase." Cadvan dropped his gaze with shame and kissed her hand softly. He regretted worrying Maerad with his remorse for Ceredin.

"Maerad, you must understand that Ceredin's death will live on forever with me. I cannot seem to escape it, nor forgive myself for the wrong I did on that day."

Maerad studied him sympathetically. "Cadvan," she said, "you must never forget what you did, but you must learn to move on. Recognize all the work you have done for the Light!" Maerad's face suddenly broke out in a warm, comforting smile. She brushed his cheek with her maimed hand, lightly stroking the herringbone scar over his eye. He captured her hand in his own and intertwined their fingers and looked her desperately.

"Maerad," he whispered. "How could I have done such a thing, to one so innocent?" Cadvan had never talked about his guilt about Ceredin's death to anyone else, but now he felt that he must. He could almost feel that ghostly figure from his dream hovering coldly over his shoulder. "I know not if Ceredin would have forgiven me for my actions. By the Light, Maerad! I can feel her everywhere I go. She is full of contempt for me, for her life that I wasted!" Cadvan sighed with anguish. "How am I to move on when I wear her death like this? When I see her in my nightmares, her eyes betray no sympathy, nor forgiveness." He admitted to Maerad quietly. Beautiful Maerad, the one whom he loved more than life itself and the woman who had defeated the Nameless One, the woman filled with quiet wisdom and power. Her eyes twinkled with deep thought and compassion. He should not burden her with this, he thought.

"Cadvan, will you move on with me?" She finally asked tenderly. Cadvan was taken by surprise. His relationship with Maerad had of course changed after the downfall of Sharma, but they had taken things slowly since then. "Cadvan, you are noble and kind and brave, but I fear that perhaps Ceredin clouds your view from my own at times." Maerad continued softly. Cadvan gathered her in his arms, feeling her soft heartbeat against his chest.

"Maerad, of course I will. I never meant for you to be mistaken in thinking that I could love a mere memory of someone more than what I have now." They remained joined together for quite some time, both of them reflecting on all they had been through together in the past year.

"What happened tonight?" Maerad whispered into his shoulder. Cadvan tensed at the memory of his dream, and hesitantly recounted his nightmare to her and left no details unsaid. Maerad listened attentively and never said a word. She simply leaned up and kissed him chastely on the lips knowingly. Cadvan sighed and leaned back with Maerad wrapped up in his arms and studied her face earnestly as she slowly fell asleep. She needn't have said anymore to make him feel better; her presence was more than enough. He kissed the top of her head lovingly.

As the two lay together in the dark, a cool breeze swept through the room, and Maerad's face was momentarily washed in the ray of moonlight that was cast through the window. As Cadvan gazed down at her soft features, he felt himself let Ceredin go, and her memory was left to rest in peace. He held his Maerad protectively in his arms, and rested his chin upon her soft hair.

"Goodnight, my Fire Lily," he breathed and closed his eyes reluctantly. The last thing he saw before he fell asleep was Maerad's serene face, and it was the only thing he saw in his dreams.


End file.
